High tension fuse switch



June l1, 1935. T E, MURRAY, A 1R l HIGH TENSION FUSE SWITCH Filed Feb. 5, 1930 Patented June 1l, 1935 UNITED STATES HIGH TENSION FUSE SWITCH Thomas E. .Murray, Jr., Brooklyn, N. Y., assigner to Metropolitan Device Corporation, a ,corporation of New York Application February 5, 1930, Serial No. 425,949

8 Claims.

Ths invention relates to a fused switch and more particularly to a fuse and switch for high tension electric circuits.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus in which the blowing of the fuse serves automatically to disconnect the fuse from the circuit.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a fuse and switch circuit in which the switch connecting the fuse to the circuit is opened immediately after or substantially simultaneously with the blowing of the fuse and in which the fuse may be readily replaced after blowing without changing the position of the switch.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear in the following description, the invention comprises the apparatus and circuit described in the following specification and claims.

The various features of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which shows a vertical sectional view of a fused switch embodying a preferred form of the invention. In my invention the blowing of a confined fuse serves to open a switch interposed between the fuse and the lead wire or wires and thereby to disconnect the fuse from the line wires. The switch is so arranged and constructed that, once opened in this manner, it remains open until manually closed. The fuse may therefore be removed and replaced without the necessity of first manually disconnecting its terminals from the circuit, thus insuring against injury through an inadvertent failure to take this precaution. Preferably two switches are employed with each fuse, one for each fuse terminal so that the fuse terminals are entirely disconnected from all parts of the circuit when it has blown.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the fuse l and a pair of knife switches 2 and 3 are contained within an insulating housing or container 4 and are mounted therein on a barrier or wall 5 having a flat, substantially horizontal, supporting table or plate 6, on which the fuse is supported, and a pair of side plates 'I and 8 depending vertically or at right angles from opposite edges of the table 6 and carrying the switches 2 and 3, respectively.

Each of the switches 2 and 3 has a terminal bracket 9 connected through a Wire I0 to its respective circuit terminal I I. Pivotally mounted on the brackets 9 are switch blades I2 and I3, respectively, for the two switches, the blades I2 and I3 being of a length to project upwardly a short distance above the surface of the `plate 6 and to swing from vertical position outwardly (Cl. 20o-114) and downwardly in opposite directions from the plates 1 and 8. When in their Vertical positions the switch blades I2 and I3 connect the brackets 9 tc contact clips I4 and I5, respectively.

The fuse I comprises a fusible strip I5 connected at its ends to the clips I4 and I5 and extending through a pair of closely spaced plugs I1 and I8 slidably mounted in an insulating cylinder I9. The fusible strip I6 is notched or constricted as at 20, between the plugs I1 and I?. and the cylinder I9 projects a substantial distance beyond the edges of the plugs, so that, upon an overload of the circuit, the fuse wire blows at 20 generating sufficient pressure to propel the plugs in opposite directions through the open ends of the cylinder I9. The cylinder I9 is aligned between the upper ends of the switch blades I2 and I3, so that as the plugs I'I and I8 are propelled from the cylinder they strike the switch blades and throw them outwardly to open positions. The fuse is thus disconnected from the terminals II and may be removed or replaced and the switch blades I2 and I3 closed and the fuse connected into the circuit.

To deflect the propelled plugs downwardly into the container 4 a pair of deflectors 2I and 22 are mounted at the upper edges of opposite walls of the container and are reinforced with braces 23 and 24.

Although the use of two switches is preferable the fuse may be arranged to operate but a single switch blade one of the plugs I1 or I8 being fixed in position or replaced by a fixed wall or barrier.

Various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims:-

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus of the type described comprising a switch movable to open position, a fuse in series with said switch, and a member driven by said fuse upon blowing to move said switch to open position.

2. Apparatus of the type described which comprises a confined fuse, a plug movable by the blowing of said fuse, and a switch in series with said fuse positioned tol be driven to open position from the movement of said plug.

3. Apparatus of the type described which comprises a confining fuse, a plug movable by the blowing of said fuse, and a knife switch in series with said fuse positioned to be driven to open position by the movement of said plug upon the blowing of said fuse.

4. An electric circuit comprising a confined fuse, a pair of plugs movable by the blowing of said fuse and a pair of switches in series with said line positioned tobe opened by the movement of said plugs upon the blowing of said fuse.

5. An electric circuit comprising a fuse, a cylinder enclosing fuse, a plug confining said fuse in said cylinder, a knife switch in series with said fuse having a blade in the path of said plug and movable toopen position by projection of plug out of cylinder.

6. An electric Vcircuit comprising a container,

a barrier in said container, a pair of switches,

' said blade to open said circuit, said means comhaving projecting knife blades, a fuse connected in said circuit between said switches, a cylinder enclosing said fuse and aligned withrthe projectto movesaid blade to open position.

ing parts of said switch blades and plugs in said cylinder conning a part of said fuse and slidable to project against said switch blades.

'7. An electric circuit having a supply main, a fuse, and a switch betweensaid supply main and said fuse in series therewith, and a member driven by the blowing of said fuse to move said switch to open position.

8. In a circuit opening device, for an electric circuit the combination with a pair of contact members, oi a blade movable to open and close a circuit between said pair of contact members, and means operable upon the passage of an excess current through said switch for moving prising a projectile normally spaced from said blade andarranged to strike against said blade M'IHoMAs E. MURRAY, JR. 

